2024年3月8日发(作者：)

Introduction

Elementary English is one of the required courses for English majors.

Traditionally it is

called intensive reading. Intensive means “which gives a lot of attention or action to a small

amount of sth/ in a small amount of time.” It is contrasted to extensive reading. Extensive means

“large in amount”. In intensive reading, you need to make sure the correct pronunciation of each

word, the appropriate meanings of each word, phrase and sentences, not only the literal meaning,

but the deeper and implied meaning. To achieve this , you need to know some background

infromation and is only one part of intensive reading. It is an integrated English

course. The aims of this course is to development students language skills, that is, listening,

speaking, reading, writing and translating；to broaden their knowledge and devlope their ciritical

way of thinking as well. Class hours are far from being sufficient. You need spend more hours to

study before class and after class.

Unit 1 Half a Day

Teaching Procedure

1. Warm-up Activities

2. Background Information

3. Text Appreciation

4. Language Study

5. Exercise

Ⅰ. Warm-up Activities

Discussion:

1. On “First Day at School”

Was it hard for you to leave home for the first time in your life? Who saw you off at the railway station? Who came to school with you?

What did he/she say to you on the way?

What do you think is the business of university? What do you expect to learn here? Did you feel you were a stranger the first day you arrived?

Did you find the university just as you had imagined? In what way was it as you imagined, and in

what way wasn’t it?

Were you disappointed when you found it wasn’t as good as you had expected?

2. On the Change of a City

Does your hometown look like how it used to when you were in primary school? How much does

your hometown change? How do you see these changes?

II. Background Information

Notes on the text 1 p4

Ⅲ. Text Appreciation

1. General Understanding

Plot: a little boy’s first time to go to school

Setting: on the way to school

at school

on the way home

Protagonists: ―I‖ –the boy in the story

Theme :

Writing devices:

2. Thematic Analysis

Everything is changing!

1. All my clothes are new.

2. School makes useful men out of boys.

3. My misgivings had had no basis.

4. Our path was not totally sweet and unclouded.

5. The lady would sometimes smile, but yell and scold often.

6. The streets lined with the gardens disappeared.

7. I turned out to be a grandpa.

What changes are conveyed?

changes on my part: clothes’ my view on school; my outer appearance

changes on other people’s part: the lady’s attitude toward us

changes in the society : the street crowded with cars, high buildings, rubbish and children

The following are a few possible understandings of the message the story conveys. Which one do

you agree with? Argue with your group partners.

Time and tide wait for no man.

Life is a tragedy. There is nothing permanent in life but change. Education can never keep up with changes in society. Life is short and time is precious.

Life is a dream. Do not take anything seriously.

Time goes by quickly and many things can take place in your lifetime. Before you know it, a new

society is born.

3. Text Structure

Part 1 (paras.1-7 ) : The boy’s misgivings about school. Questions for Part 1:

①What does this part tell us about the boy’s relations with his parents?

A: It seems that the boy was closer to his mother. Probably his mother was gentle while his father

was strict.

②How did the boy see school?

A: A punishment (P 4); a prison (P6); a dreadful place

③Read the following suggestions made by the father. Which ones do you agree with and which ones not? Have you ever been given some suggestions by your parents when entering the university? List them out.

School is a place that makes useful men out of boys.

Don’t you want to be useful like your brothers?

Put a smile on your face and be a good example to others. Be a man.

Today you truly begin life. A: Open.

Part 2 (paras.8-16 ) :

How the boy felt about school

Questions for Part 2: ① Did the boy change his attitude towards school after entering it? A: P 13.

② How many experiences did the boy tell us about the school life? A: P14.

Part 3 (paras.17-20 ):

Walking out of the school, he found time had changed everything. Questions for Part 3:

① What did he see on his way home?

A: P17. ② How do you understand the ending? What is the effect of this writing strategy? Do you know any other novels/stories written with the same strategy?

A: The protagonist returns after being absent for a short time to find everything changed beyond recognition.

Washington Irving’s Rip Van Winkle. Rip was a simple good-natured man. One fine day he went

with his dog to the mountains to hunt squirrels. He drank something a queer old man offered him,

and fell fast asleep. When he woke up he found himself an old man and that great changes had occurred in his village during his absence. In the village inn the portrait of King George 3 had been replaced by one of General Washington. This technique is often used to emphasize rapid changes in

society.

《贾奉雉》from《聊斋》 贾奉雉才名冠世，考试却屡战屡败。朋友郎生，帮他记住许多自己看不起的文章，居然考了第一名。他觉得太惭愧了，于是看破世情。郎生便带他投到自己师父的门下学当神仙。尔后他因为不能忘怀妻子被逐出山门。回到家中，才发现已经过了一百多年，连孙子都五十多岁了，妻子一直沉睡到他回来才醒。家里败落得不成样子，孙子和后辈都穷而且没有文化，逐渐地，他们也不大愿意奉养照顾他了。贾奉雉又后悔又气愤，看到妻子挨饿，他只好重操旧业，通过科举考试，当了官。他为官清廉，官越做越大。可是，不肖的后人却假他的名义在乡里作威作福，以致他终于获罪。充军的路上，郎生开船来接引他们夫妻学仙去。

4. Writing Devices

Now observe the following paragraph carefully. What strikes you most?

I did not know what to say. The gate was now closed. Some of the children burst into tears. The bell rang. A lady came along, followed by a group of men. The men began sorting us into ranks. We

were formed into an intricate pattern in the great courtyard surrounded by high buildings; from each floor we were overlooked by a long balcony roofed in wood. (Para. 11) The great use of short and simple sentences.

More examples:

I walked a few steps, then came to a startled halt. Good Lord! Where was the street lined with gardens? Where had it disappeared to? When did all these cars invade it? And when did all these people come to rest on its surface? How did these hills of rubbish find their way to cover its sides? And

where were the fields that bordered it? High buildings had taken over, the street was full of children, and disturbing noises shook the air. (Para. 17)

Good God! I was in a daze. My head spun. I almost went crazy. … (Para. 18)

Why did the author prefer to use short and simple sentences?

Effects:

1. the effect of one person’s thoughts/thinking: echoing the style of the text (The story is told as a reflection. Thinking is sometimes disconnected.)

2. the effect of rapid change of things and a feeling of confusion: echoing the theme of the text In

what cases should we use short sentences?

The short sentence, ordinarily containing one concisely worded assertion, is good to give point and crispness to a thought. When you wish to make an important definition, statements of weighty truth, or an emphatic assertion, short sentences are often appropriate.

The following short sentences are quotable, emphatic, and to the point:

Economy is the art of making the most of life.

—G. B. Shaw

Love is as necessary to the human being as food and shelter.

1). Elliptical question & rhetorical question

―Why school?‖ I asked my father. ―What have I done?‖

A: Headmaster: We want you to go and tell the boy‘s parents the news. B: Teacher: Why me?

Father: We‘ll go to Tianjin this weekend.

Daughter: What for?/ Why this weekend?/Why Tianjin?

Don‘t you want to be useful like your brothers? Can‘t you see I‘m busy? (Don‘t disturb me!)

What good is a promise for an unemployed worker? Does nothing ever worry you? Please give

more examples.

2). Inverted sentences

… here and there stood conjurers showing off their tricks, or making snakes appear from baskets.

Conjurers stood everywhere. They were showing off their tricks or making snakes appear from baskets.

More examples: There are some exceptions to this reaction. Were there no air on

the earth, there would be no life on it. In no case should we waste our time. There goes the bell. Away hurried the customers.

3). ―with‖ absolute structure

Then there was a band ..., with clowns and weight lifters walking in front. More examples:

He stood there with a stick in his hand. (with + n. + prep.) Paul soon fell asleep with the light still burning. (with + n. + participle) She can‘t go out with all these dishes to wash. (with + n. + to do.) He was lying on the bed with all his clothes on. (with + n. + adv. ) 三．

IV Language Understanding

I. Sentence Paraphrase

1. They did not make me happy, however, as this was the day I was to be thrown into school for the first time. What does ―they‖ refer to?

What does the narrator imply by using ―to be thrown into school‖?

2. My mother stood at the window watching our progress, and I turned towards her from time to time, hoping she would help. What does ―progress‖ mean here? What kind of

help could his mother offer? What does the sentence tell us about the boy‘s relationships with his parents?

3. a street lined with gardens …

a street where there are gardens … along both sides

lined with …: past participle phrase used here to modify ―a street‖. It can be regarded as a relative clause cut short, eg. a novel (that was) written by Charle

s Dickens

personal computers (that are) made in China

4. I did not believe there was really any good to be had in tearing me away from my home and

throwing me into the huge, high-walled building. There is no good to be had in doing sth. It is no good/use doing sth.

5. … from each floor we were overlooked by a long balcony roofed in wood. … on one side of the courtyard was a building with a long wood-roofed balcony on each floor where we could be seen. Or … from the balcony on each floor of the building people could see the pattern into which

we formed.

6. Well, it seemed that my misgivings had had no basis.

Well, perhaps my doubt, worry and fear about what school would be like were all groundless. Or

Well, it seemed that I was wrong to think that school was a dreadful place.

7. In addition, the time for changing one‘s mind was over and gone and there was no question

of ever returning to the paradise of home. There is no question (of doing): there is no possibility

Besides, it was impossible for us to quit school and return to the good old days when we stayed home playing and fooling around all day. Our childhood was gone, never to come back.

8. Nothing lay ahead of us but exertion, struggle, and perseverance. nothing but: only

We would have to do our best and keep working very hard until we finished school. This is what I

imagined our school days would be like. Or

The kind of life that was waiting for us at school would be full of exertion, struggle and perseverance.

9. Those who were able took advantage of the opportunities for success and happiness that presented themselves.

to present itself/ themselves: (formal) to appear, happen

If there came opportunities, capable students would seize them to achieve success

Paraphrase: … We were told how God created the world in 7 Days. the Creator: God or Allah for

Muslims Genesis:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth The First Day

The first recorded Words of God that we have are "Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3 NIV). The sun

was already shining brightly, but God made the earth's thick new atmosphere allow diffuse light to penetrate to the surface. And so it was that the light was made separate from darkness. The first day of earth's creation was literally the first "day" as someone on earth's surface would experience it

- a period of opaque light, and a period of darkness. (Genesis 1:3-5)

The Second Day

The separation of the waters. There was yet no liquid water, no oceans. All of the water was in the

form of a vapor, a worldwide super-fog, extending a number of kilometers/miles up from the very

hot (above the boiling temperature of water) bare-rock earth's surface (the earth's core remains molten right to the present day). God's "hovering over the waters" in verse 2 describes His being above that gaseous-water atmosphere, not a liquid ocean. God then caused most of the water to condense onto the cooling earth which simultaneously formed a whole-planet ocean and cleared the sky. (Genesis 1:6-8) The Third Day

The first appearance of dry ground. The further cooling of the surface set in motion a process of natural contraction, uplifting and motion of the crust (the process continues today, called "plate tecto

nics"). The earth changed from a smooth one-level molten "cue ball" to a planet with an irregular surface with ocean basins and continental landmasses. With dry ground available, the first plants were made to grow in great abundance. (Genesis 1:9-13)

The Fourth Day

With the sky now clear, the sun, moon and stars were

dependably visible. They were to "serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years." The sun marked the day (sunset to sunset), the moon the month (new moon to new moon), and the stars the seasons (constellations are seen in particular "Orion" is visible in winter in the northern

hemisphere, which is summer in the southern hemisphere). (Genesis 1:14-19) The Fifth Day

Great numbers of birds and sea creatures. God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in

number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth." (Genesis 1:20-23) The Sixth Day

Vast numbers of land animals. Man. From the man, woman (humans today are just now

discovering how to genetically alter fertilized embryos, and even to create one human from the tissue of another - known as "cloning"). (Genesis 1:24-31)

The Seventh Day

The Sabbath Day.安息日 "By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all His work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it

holy, because on it He rested [or ceased] from all the work of creating that He had done." The day

that is the basis for The Fourth Commandment. (Genesis 2:2-3)

25. … wake up to go on with friendship and love, playing and learning. (14)

Paraphrase: … after the nap, we continued our business at school – making friends, falling in love, playing and learning.

to go on with: to continue an activity, especially after a pause or break.

Grammar:

to go on with: an infinitive phrase of result, denoting the “result” of the action expressed by the

main verb “wokd up”. Note the difference between the infinitive of result and that of purpose. 判断:

They lifted a rock only to drop it on their own feel. (of result) He picked up a stone to hit the attacking snake. (of purpose)

26. observant adj. 1. good at noticing things around you 观察力敏锐的

syn: sharp-eyed

2. careful to obey religious laws and customs 谨慎遵守教规和习俗的

observe v. 1. to see or notice sb/ Have you observed any changes lately? 最近你注意到什

么变化没有?

2. to watch sb/sth I felt he was observing everything I did. 我觉得他正在注视着我做的每一件事。

3. to obey rules, laws, etc. e.g. Do they observe Christmas? 他们过不过圣诞节? observance n. [U] the practice of obeying a law, celebrating a festival or behaving according to a particular custom （对法律、习俗的）遵守，奉行；（节日的）纪念 e.g. a strict observance of the Sabbath 对安息日的严格遵守 observance of the law 守法

27. It was not all a matter of playing and fooling around. (15) all = completely

fool around: to waste time instead of doing sth. that you should be doing

e.g. He spent the whole afternoon just fooling around.

Stop fooling around otherwise you’ll never amount to anything.

Related phrases:

He noticed a strange-looking person hanging about the bus stop. 闲逛；闲荡

I hung around the station for an hour but he never showed up.等候 The children lingered on at the zoo until the closing time.逗留

Paraphrase: What we did at school wasn’t just playing and wasting time doing nothing useful.

28. bring about: to make sth. happen

e.g. Computers have brought about many changes in workplace. BRING phrases:

bring down bring forth

bring forward bring on

bring out bring off bring in

bring home to sb. 打倒； 击落；降低 使产生 提出；使涌现出；显示

引起，导致；使发展（或前进） 使（意义等）明白表示出来 使成功；完成

收（庄稼）等；引来，引进（风尚等） 使某人深切地感到（或清楚地认识到）

bring out bring off bring in

bring home to sb. 打倒； 击落；降低 使产生 提出；使涌现出；显示

引起，导致；使发展（或前进） 使（意义等）明白表示出来 使成功；完成

收（庄稼）等；引来，引进（风尚等） 使某人深切地感到（或清楚地认识到）

29. give rise to (15) to be the reason why sth. esp. sth. bad or unpleasant happens

e.g. Two phenomena are giving rise to world-wide concern—mass unemployment and mass

migration into cities.

Tr: 很多人认为镇上的犯罪行为是由贫困引起的。

Most people believe that poverty had given rise to the crimes in the town.

30. And while the lady would … while: a conjunction of concession More examples:

While I did well in class, I was poor at sports.

While I understand what you say, I can’t agree with you.

31. resort to (15): to make use of sth., esp sth bad, as a means of achieving sth, often because there is no other possible solution诉诸，求助于

e.g. Terrorists resorted to bombing city centers as a means of achieving their political aims. Tr: There is no good resorting to violence. 诉诸暴力是没有好处的。

32. In addition, the time for changing one’s mind was over and gone and there was no question of

ever returning to the paradise of home. (16)

There is no question (of sth. happening/ sb doing sth.): there is no possibility, e.g.

There is no question of their dismissing you at the moment.

Paraphrase: Besides, it was impossible for us to quit school and return to the good old days when

we stayed home playing and fooling around all day. Our childhood was gone, never to come back.

33. Nothing lay ahead of us but exertion, struggle, and perseverance. (16) Nothing … but …: only

e.g. Right now he thinks about nothing but his research.

Tr: 除了个苹果，她午饭什么也没吃。She ate nothing but an apple for lunch.

but exertion, struggle, and perseverance: This prepositional phrase modifies ―nothing‖. Normally such phrases are placed right after ―nothing‖, but that would make the subject of the sentence too long.

perseverance: n. the quality of continuing to try to achieve a particular aim despite difficulties毅力，韧性，不屈不挠的精神 e.g. They showed great perseverance in the face of difficulty. 他们面对困难表现了坚强的毅力。

Paraphrase: We would have to do our best and keep working very hard until we finished school. This is what I imagined our school days would be like.

Or

The kind of life that was waiting for us at school would be full of exertion, struggle and perseverance.

34. Those who were able took advantage of the opportunities for success and happiness that presented themselves. (16)

who were able: relative clause modifying ―those‖

take advantage of:

1. to make use of sth well; to make use of an opportunity利用 e.g. We took full advantage of the hotel facilities.我们充分享用了旅馆设施。

2. to make use of sb/sth in a way that is unfair or dishonest欺骗，占便宜 e.g. He took advantage of my generosity = for example, by taking more than I had intended to

give. 他利用我的慷慨占了便宜。

ADVANTAGE phrases:

For certain types of work wood has/gains/wins advantages over plastic. 胜过; 优于

New tax regulations had given them an advantage over their commercial rivals. 给某人优势 You have the advantage of me. 较某人有利; 比人强

Candidates with computer skills will be at an advantage. 处于优势

Do take more exercise. It is to your advantage. 对某人有利; 有利于某人

that presented themselves: relative clause modifying ―opportunities‖ (formal) to appear, When the chance to study at Harvard presented itself, I jumped at it.

Paraphrase: If there came opportunities, capable students would seize them to achieve success and happiness.

35. in vain: without the desired result, without success徒劳的，不成功的，白费力的 e.g. All our efforts were in vain. 我们所有的努力都付诸东流了。 In vain did he try to convince the jury of his innocence.

36. How did these hills of rubbish find their way to cover its sides? (17) find one’s way: to arrive or get to a place

e.g. After being lost for two days, the little dog finally found its way back to its owner’s house. Because of the dense fog, the traveller couldn’t find his way to his camp. WAY phrases:

make one’s way to/towards the door艰难地向门走去

bow her way out of the room边鞠躬边退出房间 push her way out of the hall挤出大厅

shoulder her way through the crowd推搡着挤出人群 worm his way into the organization混入组织 beg her way back home一路乞讨回家

inch one’s way up the mountain一步一步挪上山

Paraphrase: How did the street come to be covered with so much rubbish on both sides? Where did they come from?

37. Here and there stood conjurers showing off their tricks or making snakes appear from

baskets. (17)

an inverted sentence due to long subject More examples:

1. There are some exceptions to this reaction.

2. Were there no air on the earth, there would be no life on it. 3. In no case should we waste our time. 4. There goes the bell.

5. Away hurried the customers.

Paraphrase: Conjurers stood everywhere. They were showing off their tricks or making snakes appear from baskets.

38. Then there was a band announcing the opening of a circus, with clowns and weight lifters walking in front. (17)

“With+n.+doing” construction is used adverbially modifying “announcing”. More examples:

1. He stood there with a stick in his hand. (with + n. + prep.)

2. Paul soon fell asleep with the light still burning. (with + n. + participle) 3. She can’t go out with all these dishes to wash. (with + n. + to do) 4. He was lying on the bed with all his clothes on. (with + n. + adv.)

Paraphrase: Then there was a band that was announcing the opening of a circus. The clowns and weight lifters were walking in its front.

39. let up (informal) (of an unpleasant situation) to stop or become less serious a. to stop or become less strong or serious b. to slacken one’s efforts Examples:

When will the rain let up?

Keep plodding away at your task, no matter how difficult it is; don’t let up on it.

Word Building uni-: one; single uniaxial unicorn unicameral unicellular unicycle unidirectional unilateral uniped unipod unipolar unisexual （有）单轴的

独角兽

（议会）一院（制）的 单细胞（组成）的 单轮脚踏车 单向性的 一方的；单边的 独脚的；独腿的 独脚架 单级的

单性的；雌雄异体的

19

var(i): diverse；to change vary variation various variety varied variable variant

（使）不同；（使）变化 变异；差异

不同的；各式各样的 变化性；多样性 各种不同的；多变化的 变量；变数

不同的；变异的；替换的

and happiness.